Board gives $8K stipend to rec department head

The Riverhead Town Board approved Tuesday afternoon an $8,000 stipend for recreation superintendent Ray Coyne as compensation for his taking on the responsibility of running the town youth bureau.

The vote was 4-1, with Councilwoman Jodi Giglio casting the lone no vote.

The position of youth bureau director has been vacant since last year, when longtime director Donna Lyczkowski retired. The Town Board eliminated the position from the 2013 budget.

In February, the board put off voting on a resolution to change Mr. Coyne’s title to parks and recreation administrator, and to increase his annual salary from $94,049 to $102,049. The difference is that the stipend would only be a temporary increase.

Matt Hattorff, president of the Civil Service Employee Association, voiced opposition to the stipend, saying his union employees are the ones doing all the work.

But board members who supported the move said it would be cheaper than hiring a full-time youth bureau director, and the stipend was only for this year. The February resolution, however, would have given Mr. Coyne a permanent increase.

Supervisor Sean Walter also said the town probably will not hire a full time youth bureau director in July, as had been the plan last November when the budget was adopted. That means that Mr. Coyne’s department would retain responsibility for the youth bureau for the entire year.

Mr. Coyne was present at Tuesday’s meeting but did not speak.

To read what else happened at Tuesday’s meeting, click here to read a recap of reporter Tim Gannon’s blog.